US20100106417A1 - System and method for identifying a trajectory for each vehicle involved in an accident - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for identifying a trajectory for each vehicle involved in an accident. The method begins by plotting on a Cartesian Coordinate Plane GNSS locations corresponding to a vehicle involved in the accident. Next, the method identifies GNSS locations on the Cartesian Coordinate Plane where the vehicle was speeding. Next, the method marks those GNSS locations on the Cartesian Coordinate Plane where the vehicle involved in the accident was skidding. The process of plotting and identifying speeding as well as skidding is repeated for all vehicles involved in the accident. The Cartesian Coordinate plane then having all vehicle trajectories residing therein is sent to an output device.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates generally to accident reconstruction, and more particularly to identifying a trajectory for each vehicle involved in an accident.
• It is common for an automobile accident to occur in which the only witness is the offending party. When the offending party fails to provide contact information, the innocent victim is left without a means of identifying the responsible party or determining who was at fault.
• Similarly, when two parties are involved in an automobile accident, the shock of the situation may impair one party's ability to remember and/or articulate the events immediately preceding the accident or subsequent thereto.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention provides a method for identifying a trajectory for each vehicle involved in an accident, said method comprising:
• plotting at least one Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) location on a Cartesian Coordinate Plane, each GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location corresponding to a unique vehicle having been involved in said accident;
• identifying a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location on said Cartesian Coordinate Plane if it was determined that said vehicle was speeding at said identified GNSS location;
• marking a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location on said Cartesian Coordinate Plane if it was determined that said vehicle was skidding at said marked GNSS location;
• repeating said plotting and said identifying and said marking for at least one other vehicle having been involved in said accident; and
• sending said Cartesian Coordinate Plane to an output device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 illustrates a method for identifying a trajectory for each vehicle involved in an accident, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 illustrates an accident reconstruction comprising an initial trajectory of a vehicle involved in an accident, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 3 illustrates an accident reconstruction comprising a trajectory of a vehicle involved in an accident utilizing Bezier curves to approximate the complete path of the vehicle, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 4 illustrates an accident reconstruction comprising a trajectory of a vehicle involved in an accident and further identifying locations within the trajectory where the vehicle lost traction, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 5 illustrates a computer system which may facilitate a method for identifying a trajectory for each vehicle involved in an accident, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Definitions The term ‘Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)’ as used herein is defined as a satellite navigation system providing autonomous geo-spatial positioning with global coverage. Examples of GNSS include, inter alia, Global Positioning System (GPS), Galileo, GLObal'naya NAvigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS), Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS), Doppler Orbitography and Radio-positioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS), Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), and Beidou Navigation System.
Specification
• Although certain embodiments of the present invention are described herein, it is understood modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from its course and scope. Scope of the present invention is not limited to the number of constituting components, the materials thereof, the shapes thereof, the relative arrangement thereof, etc. Furthermore, while the accompanying drawings illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention, such drawings are not necessarily depicted to scale.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a method 100 for identifying a trajectory for each vehicle involved in an accident, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
• The present invention utilizes an accident report created by at least one vehicle involved in an accident. Vehicles involved in the accident not only include those vehicles which physically participated in the accident, but also include vehicles within a predetermined distance which may be witnesses to the accident/incident.
• The accident report comprises information taken from each vehicle involved in the accident. The accident report comprises for each vehicle involved in the accident: a list of indices indeed (i), a list of timestamps (T_i), a list of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) locations (x_i, y_i), as well as a list of the specific vehicle's orientation (Dx_i, Dy_i). Each orientation pair (Dx_i, Dy_i) not only identify the direction in which the vehicle is pointing, but also represent a measurement of the vehicle's speed along the x-axis and along the y-axis. Each timestamp corresponds to both a unique GNSS location and a unique orientation. An example of data residing in an accident report for a single vehicle may be as follows:

• 	Index (i)	Time (Ti)	xi	yi	Dxi	Dyi

  	1	0	2	8	0.5	−2.5
  	2	10	3	4	0.5	−1.5
  	3	20	4	3	1	1
  	4	30	6	6	0.75	1.5
  	5	40	7	8	1	1
  	6	50	8	8	0	−1
  	7	60	7	4	0	−2
  	8	70	8	3	1	−1
  	9	80	8	2	−1	−1
  	10	90	6	2	−2	0
  	11	100	1	2	−4	0

• Method 100 begins with step 102, which comprises building a trajectory for a vehicle involved in the accident.
• Step 102 comprises building a trajectory for a vehicle involved in the accident. Utilizing the accident report, step 102 overlays onto a Cartesian Coordinate Plane all GNSS locations (x_i, y_i) for a vehicle involved in an accident. The GNSS locations correspond to a path a vehicle took prior to, during, and subsequent to an accident. The GNSS locations are overlaid on the Cartesian Coordinate Plane so a path may be drawn through the GNSS locations in the order of the timestamps (T_i). After completion of step 102, the method 100 continues with step 104 which comprises setting index i=1.
• Step 104 comprises setting index i=1. By setting index i=1, step 104 prepares the method 100 for calculating all intermediate GNSS locations between timestamps T_i for i=1, 2, . . . , I. I represents the total number of timestamps corresponding to a specific vehicle which reside in the accident report. After completion of step 104, the method 100 continues with step 106 which comprises calculating X₀, X₁, X₂, X₃, Y₀, Y₁, Y₂, and Y₃.
• Step 106 comprises calculating X₀, X₁, X₂, X₃, Y₀, Y₁, Y₂, and Y₃. The values X₀, X₁, X₂, X₃, Y₀, Y₁, Y₂, and Y₃ are coordinate characteristics of a cubic Bezier curve used to approximate the intermediate GNSS locations between timestamps for the vehicle involved in the accident. The coordinate characteristics of the cubic Bezier curve are calculated as follows:
• ${\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="0"\; label="X"\; filenames="US20100106417A1-20100429-D00002.png,US20100106417A1-20100429-D00003.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">X</figure-callout>}}_0=x_i$ ${\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="1"\; label="X"\; filenames="US20100106417A1-20100429-D00000.png,US20100106417A1-20100429-D00001.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">X</figure-callout>}}_1=x_i+\frac{{\mathrm{Dx}}_i}{3}$ ${\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="2"\; label="X"\; filenames="US20100106417A1-20100429-D00002.png,US20100106417A1-20100429-D00003.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">X</figure-callout>}}_2=x_{i+1}+\frac{{\mathrm{Dx}}_{i+1}}{3}$ ${\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="3"\; label="X"\; filenames="US20100106417A1-20100429-D00002.png,US20100106417A1-20100429-D00003.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">X</figure-callout>}}_3=x_{i+1}$ ${\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="0"\; label="Y"\; filenames="US20100106417A1-20100429-D00002.png,US20100106417A1-20100429-D00003.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">Y</figure-callout>}}_0=y_i$ ${\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="1"\; label="Y"\; filenames="US20100106417A1-20100429-D00000.png,US20100106417A1-20100429-D00001.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">Y</figure-callout>}}_1=y_i+\frac{{\mathrm{Dy}}_i}{3}$ ${\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="2"\; label="Y"\; filenames="US20100106417A1-20100429-D00002.png,US20100106417A1-20100429-D00003.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">Y</figure-callout>}}_2=y_{i+1}+\frac{{\mathrm{Dy}}_{i+1}}{3}$ ${\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="3"\; label="Y"\; filenames="US20100106417A1-20100429-D00002.png,US20100106417A1-20100429-D00003.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">Y</figure-callout>}}_3=y_{i+1}$
• After calculating X₀, X₁, X₂, X₃, Y₀, Y₁, Y₂, and Y₃, step 106 is complete and the method 100 continues with step 108 which comprises setting index j=T_i+1.
• Step 108 comprises setting indeed j=T_i+1. By setting index j=T_i30 1, step 108 prepares the method 100 for calculating all intermediate GNSS locations between timestamps T_i and T_i+1. Note that j does not begin at T_i, mainly because the GNSS location of the vehicle at time T_i was already overlaid on the Cartesian Coordinate Plane pursuant to step 102, supra. After completion of step 108, the method 100 continues with step 110 which calculates Lambda (λ).
• Step 110 calculates Lambda (λ) as a relative time offset for the interval between GNSS locations. Before calculating Lambda (λ), step 110 first determines index z so that z satisfies the condition where T_z≦j<T_z+1. For example, if i=3, T_i=20, and j=24, then index z must satisfy the condition T_z≦j<T_z+1. Since j=24, the condition index z must satisfy is T_z≦24<T_z+1. Since T₃=20 and 20<24, T₃ can equal T_z. Thus 20≦24<30 and index z satisfies the condition where z=3.
• Step 110 utilizes index z to calculate Lambda (λ) according to
• $\lambda =\frac{j-T_z}{T_{z+1}-T_z}.$
• Thus, if i=3, T_i=20, j=24, and z=3, then
• $\lambda =\frac{j-T_z}{T_{z+1}-T_z}=\frac{24-T_3}{{\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="3"\; label="T"\; filenames="US20100106417A1-20100429-D00002.png,US20100106417A1-20100429-D00003.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">T</figure-callout>}}_{3+1}-{\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="3"\; label="T"\; filenames="US20100106417A1-20100429-D00002.png,US20100106417A1-20100429-D00003.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">T</figure-callout>}}_3}=\frac{24-20}{30-20}=\frac{4}{10}=0.4.$
• After calculating Lambda (λ), step 110 ends and the method 100 continues with step 112 which comprises plotting XX and YY on the Cartesian Coordinate Plane.
• Step 112 comprises plotting XX and YY on the Cartesian Coordinate Plane. Before plotting XX and YY on the Cartesian Coordinate Plane, step 112 must first calculate both XX and YY. Coordinate XX,YY is calculated according to the following functions:
• 
  XX=X ₀*(1−λ)³+3+X ₁*λ*(1−λ)²+3*X ₂*λ²*(1−λ)+X ₃*λ³
• 
  YY=Y ₀*(1−λ)³+3+Y ₁*λ*(1−λ)²+3*Y ₂*λ²*(1−λ)+Y ₃*λ³
• After calculating XX and YY, step 112 plots XX,YY on the Cartesian Coordinate Plane. After completion of step 112, the method 100 continues with step 114 which comprises determining if j=T_i+1−1.
• Step 114 which comprises determining if j=T_i+1−1. The goal of steps 108 through 114 is to approximate the intermediate GNSS locations between timestamps for the vehicle involved in the accident. It is assumed that the i timestamps are spaced uniformly apart in time. For example, using the accident report data provide supra, the timestamps are spaced apart every ten (10) seconds.
• Plotting XX,YY utilizing index j is performed every one second from T_i to T_i+1−1. Thus using the provided accident report data, steps 108 through 114 would approximate the GNSS location of the vehicle involved in the accident every one second between T_i+1 and T_i+1−1. If j does equal T_i+1−1, method 100 continues with step 118 which comprises identifying instances of speeding and/or skidding.
• However, if j does not equal T_i+1−1, then the method 100 continues by increases index j by one (i.e. j=j+1) in step 116 and looping back to step 110 to perform steps 110 through 114 for the updated j.
• Step 118 comprises identifying instances of speeding and/or skidding. Step 118 identifies whether the vehicle was speeding by calculating the average speed of the vehicle between timestamps T_i and T_i+1. Since the timestamps are uniformly spaced apart and coupled with the fact that the GNSS locations identify location, the calculation of
• $\mathrm{Average}\mathrm{Speed}=\frac{\mathrm{Distance}\mathrm{Traveled}}{\mathrm{Time}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{Travel}}$
• is relatively simple for step 118 to perform. If the average speed of the vehicle exceeds a speed threshold, step 118 marks the approximate GNSS locations between T_i and T_i+1 on the Cartesian Coordinate Plane in such a way that it is understood to an end user that the vehicle was speeding. For an example of the identifying marks, see 414 in FIG. 4, infra.
• In one embodiment of the present invention, the speed threshold is equal to the speed limit on the road the vehicles was traveling and is provided in the accident report. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the speed threshold value is provided by an end user.
• Step 118 also identifies whether the vehicle was skidding between timestamps T_i and T_i+1. Skidding refers to an unexpected or uncontrollable sliding on a surface by something not rotating (i.e. the vehicle tires). Step 118 identifies instances of skidding by reviewing the intermediate GNSS locations between timestamps T_i and T_i+1 and comparing that information with the vehicle's orientation (Dx_i, Dy_i) at time T_i. If the vehicle orientation when compared to the path produced by the intermediate GNSS locations exceeds a skid threshold, step 118 marks the Cartesian Coordinate Plane in such a way that it is understood to an end user that the vehicle was skidding. For an example of the identifying marks, see 402 in FIG. 4, infra. In one embodiment of the present invention the skid threshold is provided by an end user. After completion of step 118, the method 100 continues with step 120 which comprises determining whether i=I.
• Step 120 comprises determining whether i=I. Value I represents the total number of timestamps (T_i) corresponding to a single vehicle that was involved in the accident. If i=I, method 100 completed approximating the intermediate GNSS locations between timestamps for the vehicle involved in the accident; and the method 100 continues with step 124 which comprises determining whether vehicle information pertaining to another vehicle resides in the accident report.
• However, if i does not equal I, then the method 100 continues by increases index i by one (i.e. i=i+1) in step 122 and looping back to step 104 to perform steps 104 through 120 for the updated i.
• Step 124 comprises determining whether vehicle information pertaining to another vehicle resides in the accident report. The method 100 overlays the trajectories for all vehicles involved in the accident onto the Cartesian Coordinate Plane. Therefore, step 124 determines whether the method 100 has overlaid all vehicle information residing in the accident report to the Cartesian Coordinate Plane. If all vehicles have been processed pursuant to steps 102 through 124, then step 124 returns a value that no additional vehicle information resides in the accident report; and the method 100 continues with step 126 which comprises storing the trajectories to an output device 910 (see FIG. 5, infra).
• However, if all vehicles have not been processed pursuant to steps 102 through 124, then step 124 returns a value that yes additional vehicle information resides in the accident report; and the method loops back to step 102 to perform steps 102 through 124 for a different vehicle.
• Step 126 comprises storing the trajectories to an output device 910 (see FIG. 5, infra). After completion of step 126, the method 100 ends.
• FIG. 2 illustrates a Cartesian Coordinate Plane 200 comprising an initial trajectory of a vehicle involved in an accident, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
• The Cartesian Coordinate Plane 200 comprises GNSS locations 0 through 10 for one of the vehicles involved in the accident. The Cartesian Coordinate Plane 200 illustrated herein was produced pursuant to step 102, see FIG. 1, supra.
• FIG. 3 illustrates a Cartesian Coordinate Plane 300 comprising a trajectory of a vehicle involved in an accident utilizing Bezier curves to approximate the complete path of the vehicle, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
• The Cartesian Coordinate Plane 300 comprises GNSS locations 0 through 10 for one of the vehicles involved in the accident. FIG. 3 further includes the intermediate GNSS locations 302 between timestamps for the vehicle involved in the accident. Specifically, the intermediate GNSS locations 302 (as well as all intermediate locations between successive timestamps) were calculated between two timestamps pursuant to step 104 through 114, see FIG. 1, supra. The entire Cartesian Coordinate Plane 300 illustrated herein was produced pursuant to steps 102 through 114, see FIG. 1, supra.
• FIG. 4 illustrates a Cartesian Coordinate Plane 400 comprising a trajectory of a vehicle involved in an accident and further identifying locations within the trajectory where the vehicle was speeding or lost traction, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
• The Cartesian Coordinate Plane 400 comprises GNSS locations 0 through 10 for one of the vehicles involved in the accident. The Plane 400 further includes the intermediate GNSS locations between known GNSS locations 0 through 10 for the vehicle involved in the accident. 414 represents the marks made pursuant to step 118 (see FIG. 1, supra) that identify when the vehicle involved in the accident was speeding. The intermediate GNSS locations identified as stars 414 are different enough to signify to an end user that the vehicle's speed was exceeding the speed threshold between GNSS locations 0 and 1.
• Additionally, the Plane 400 includes marks that convey to an end user the vehicle was skidding. These marks are represented by the rectangles 402 through 412. The marks 402 through 412 signify to an end user that the vehicle's orientation was exceeding the skid threshold throughout the trajectory from GNSS locations 4 through 9. The entire Cartesian Coordinate Plane 400 illustrated herein was produced pursuant to steps 102 through 120, see FIG. 1, supra.
• FIG. 5 illustrates a computer system 900 which may facilitate a method for identifying a trajectory for each vehicle involved in an accident, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
• The computer system 900 comprises a processor 908, an input device 906 coupled to the processor 908, an output device 910 coupled to the processor 908, and memory devices 902 and 912 each coupled to the processor 908.
• The input device 906 may be, inter alia, a keyboard, a mouse, a keypad, a touchscreen, a voice recognition device, a sensor, a network interface card (NIC), a Voice/video over Internet Protocol (VoIP) adapter, a wireless adapter, a telephone adapter, a dedicated circuit adapter, etc.
• The output device 910 may be, inter alia, a printer, a plotter, a computer screen, a magnetic tape, a removable hard disk, a floppy disk, a NIC, a VoIP adapter, a wireless adapter, a telephone adapter, a dedicated circuit adapter, an audio and/or visual signal generator, a light emitting diode (LED), etc.
• The memory devices 902 and 912 may be, inter alia, a cache, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a hard disk, a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, an optical storage such as a compact disc (CD) or a digital video disc (DVD), etc. The memory device 912 includes a computer code 914 which is a computer program that comprises computer-executable instructions.
• The computer code 914 includes, inter alia, an algorithm used for identifying a trajectory for each vehicle involved in an accident according to the present invention. The processor 908 executes the computer code 914. The memory device 902 includes input data 904. The input data 904 includes input required by the computer code 914. The output device 910 displays output from the computer code 914. Either or both memory devices 902 and 912 (or one or more additional memory devices not shown in FIG. 5) may be used as a computer usable medium (or a computer readable medium or a program storage device) having a computer readable program embodied therein and/or having other data stored therein, wherein the computer readable program comprises the computer code 914. Generally, a computer program product (or, alternatively, an article of manufacture) of the computer system 900 may comprise said computer usable medium (or said program storage device).
• Any of the components of the present invention can be deployed, managed, serviced, etc. by a service provider that offers to deploy or integrate computing infrastructure with respect to a process for identifying a trajectory for each vehicle involved in an accident. Thus, the present invention discloses a process for supporting computer infrastructure, comprising integrating, hosting, maintaining and deploying computer-readable code into a computing system (e.g., computing system 900), wherein the code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing a method for identifying a trajectory for each vehicle involved in an accident.
• In another embodiment, the invention provides a business method that performs the process steps of the invention on a subscription, advertising and/or fee basis. That is, a service provider, such as a Solution Integrator, can offer to create, maintain, support, etc. a process for authenticating an end user. In this case, the service provider can create, maintain, support, etc. a computer infrastructure that performs the process steps of the invention for one or more customers. In return, the service provider can receive payment from the customer(s) under a subscription and/or fee agreement, and/or the service provider can receive payment from the sale of advertising content to one or more third parties.
• While FIG. 5 shows the computer system 900 as a particular configuration of hardware and software, any configuration of hardware and software, as would be known to a person of ordinary skill in the art, may be utilized for the purposes stated supra in conjunction with the particular computer system 900 of FIG. 5. For example, the memory devices 902 and 912 may be portions of a single memory device rather than separate memory devices.
• While particular embodiments of the present invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, many modifications and changes will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to encompass all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims (25)

1. A method for identifying a trajectory for each vehicle involved in an accident, said method comprising:

plotting at least one Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) location on a Cartesian Coordinate Plane, each GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location corresponding to a unique vehicle having been involved in said accident;

identifying a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location on said Cartesian Coordinate Plane if it was determined that said vehicle was speeding at said identified GNSS location;

marking a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location on said Cartesian Coordinate Plane if it was determined that said vehicle was skidding at said marked GNSS location;

repeating said plotting and said identifying and said marking for at least one other vehicle having been involved in said accident; and

sending said Cartesian Coordinate Plane to an output device.

2. The method of claim 1, said plotting further comprising:

for time T_i=1, 2, . . . , I, where I is a positive integer equal to the total number of timestamps corresponding to said vehicle and having a value greater than 1:

calculating values X₀, X₁, X₂, X₃, Y₀, Y₁, Y₂, and Y₃ utilizing values x_i, y_i, Dx_i, and Dy_i, said x_i and y_i together representing a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location, said Dx_i and Dy_i together representing a direction in which said vehicle was pointing at time T_i, said T_i, x_i, y_i, Dx_i, and Dy_i residing in an accident report;

for index j=T_i, T_i+1, . . . , T_i+1−1:

calculating lambda λ utilizing said functions x₀, x₁, x₂, x₃, y₀, y₁, y₂, y₃, and index z, said index z being calculated prior to said calculating said lambda λ; and

plotting location XX,YY on said Cartesian Coordinate Plane, said location XX,YY being calculated utilizing said functions x₀, x₁, x₂, x₃, y₀, y₁, y₂, y₃, and said lambda λ.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said calculating said values X₀, X₁, X₂, X₃, Y₀, Y₁, Y₂, and Y₃ each performed according to:

$X_0=x_i;$ $X_1=x_i+\frac{{\mathrm{Dx}}_i}{3};$ $X_2=x_{i+1}+\frac{{\mathrm{Dx}}_{i+1}}{3};$ $X_3=x_{i+1};$ $Y_0=y_i;$ $Y_1=y_i+\frac{{\mathrm{Dy}}_i}{3};$ $Y_2=y_{i+1}+\frac{{\mathrm{Dy}}_{i+1}}{3};$ $\mathrm{and}$ $Y_3=y_{i+1}.$

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said calculating lambda λ is performed according to

$\lambda =\frac{j-T_z}{T_{z+1}-T_z},$

said index z being calculated prior to said calculating said lambda λ, said calculating said index z is performed so that z satisfies T_z≦j<T_z+1.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said calculating said XX,YY is performed according to:

XX=X ₀*(1−λ)³+3+X ₁*λ*(1−λ)²+3*X ₂*λ²*(1−λ)+X ₃*λ³; and YY=Y ₀*(1−λ)³+3+Y ₁*λ*(1−λ)²+3*Y ₂*λ²*(1−λ)+Y ₃*λ³.

6. The method of claim 1, said identifying further comprising:

for time T_i=1, 2, . . . I−1, where I is a positive integer equal to the total number of timestamps corresponding to said vehicle and having a value greater than 1:

calculating an average speed for said vehicle using a function

$\mathrm{Average}\mathrm{Speed}=\frac{\mathrm{Distance}\mathrm{Traveled}}{\mathrm{Time}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{Travel}},$

said distance traveled value being calculated utilizing coordinates x_i, y_i and x_i+1, y_i+1, said x_i and y_i together representing a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location for T_i, said x_i+1 and Y_i+1 together representing a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location for T_i+1, said time of travel value being calculated utilizing times T_i and T_i+1, said x_i, y_i, and T_i residing in an accident report;

determining whether said average speed value exceeds a speed threshold; and

having determined said average speed value exceeds said speed threshold, indicating on said Cartesian Coordinate Plan all GNSS locations residing between said coordinates x_i, y_i and x_i+1, y_i+1 in a way so an end user will understand said vehicle was exceeding said speed threshold between coordinates x_i, y_i and x_i+1, y_i+1.

7. The method of claim 1, said marking further comprising:

for time T_i=1, 2, . . . , I−1, where I is a positive integer equal to the total number of timestamps corresponding to said vehicle and having a value greater than 1:

determining whether an orientation of said vehicle exceeds a skid threshold, said determining comprising comparing at least one GNSS location x_i, y_i with an orientation Dx_i, Dy_i of said vehicle at timestamps T_i and T_i+1, said GNSS location residing between timestamps T_i and T_i+1, said x_i, y_i, Dx_i, Dy_i and T_i residing in an accident report; and

having determined said orientation exceeds said skid threshold, indicating on said Cartesian Coordinate Plan all GNSS locations residing between timestamps T_i and T_i+1 in a way so an end user will understand said vehicle was exceeding said skid threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each vehicle in said at least one other vehicle having been involved in said accident is selected from the group consisting of a participant vehicle and a witness vehicle, said participant vehicle being involved in said accident, said witness vehicles not being involved in said accident but within such a proximity to said accident so as to being able to provide eyewitness information corresponding to a cause of said accident.

9. A computer program product, comprising a computer-usable storage medium having a computer-readable program code stored therein, said computer-readable program code containing instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer system implement a method for identifying a trajectory for each vehicle involved in an accident, said method comprising:

plotting at least one Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) location on a Cartesian Coordinate Plane, each GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location corresponding to a unique vehicle having been involved in said accident;

identifying a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location on said Cartesian Coordinate Plane if it was determined that said vehicle was speeding at said identified GNSS location;

marking a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location on said Cartesian Coordinate Plane if it was determined that said vehicle was skidding at said marked GNSS location;

repeating said plotting and said identifying and said marking for at least one other vehicle having been involved in said accident; and

sending said Cartesian Coordinate Plane to an output device.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, said plotting further comprising:

for time T_i=1, 2, . . . , I, where I is a positive integer equal to the total number of timestamps corresponding to said vehicle and having a value greater than 1:

calculating values X₀, X₁, X₂, X₃, Y₀, Y₁, Y₂, and Y₃ utilizing values x_i, y_i, Dx_i, and Dy_i, said x_i and y_i together representing a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location, said Dx_i and Dy_i together representing a direction in which said vehicle was pointing at time T_i, said T_i, x_i, y_i, Dx_i, and Dy_i residing in an accident report;

for index j=T_i, T_i+1, . . . , T_i+1−1:

calculating lambda λ utilizing said functions x₀, x₁, x₂, x₃, y₀, y₁, y₂, y₃, and index z, said index z being calculated prior to said calculating said lambda λ; and

plotting location XX,YY on said Cartesian Coordinate Plane, said location XX,YY being calculated utilizing said functions x₀, x₁, x₂, x₃, y₀, y₁, y₂, y₃, and said lambda λ.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said calculating said values X₀, X₁, X₂, X₃, Y₀, Y₁, Y₂, and Y₃ each performed according to:

$X_0=x_i;$ $X_1=x_i+\frac{{\mathrm{Dx}}_i}{3};$ $X_2=x_{i+1}+\frac{{\mathrm{Dx}}_{i+1}}{3};$ $X_3=x_{i+1};$ $Y_0=y_i;$ $Y_1=y_i+\frac{{\mathrm{Dy}}_i}{3};$ $Y_2=y_{i+1}+\frac{{\mathrm{Dy}}_{i+1}}{3};$ $\mathrm{and}$ $Y_3=y_{i+1}.$

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said calculating lambda λ is performed according to

$\lambda =\frac{j-T_z}{T_{z+1}-T_z},$

said index z being calculated prior to said calculating said lambda λ, said calculating said index z is performed so that z satisfies T_z≦j<T_z+1.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said calculating said XX,YY is performed according to:

XX=X ₀*(1−λ)³+3+X ₁*λ*(1−λ)²+3*X ₂*λ²*(1−λ)+X ₃*λ³; and YY=Y ₀*(1−λ)³+3+Y ₁*λ*(1−λ)²+3*Y ₂*λ²*(1−λ)+Y ₃*λ³.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, said identifying further comprising:

for time T_i=1, 2, . . . , I−1, where I is a positive integer equal to the total number of timestamps corresponding to said vehicle and having a value greater than 1:

calculating an average speed for said vehicle using a function

$\mathrm{Average}\mathrm{Speed}=\frac{\mathrm{Distance}\mathrm{Traveled}}{\mathrm{Time}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{Travel}},$

said distance traveled value being calculated utilizing coordinates x_i, y_i and x_i+1, Y_i+1, said x_i and y_i together representing a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location for T_i, said x_i+1 and y_i+1 together representing a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location for T_i+1, said time of travel value being calculated utilizing times T_i and T_i+1, said x_i, y_i, and T_i residing in an accident report;

determining whether said average speed value exceeds a speed threshold; and

having determined said average speed value exceeds said speed threshold, indicating on said Cartesian Coordinate Plan all GNSS locations residing between said coordinates x_i, y_i and x_i+1, y_i+1 in a way so an end user will understand said vehicle was exceeding said speed threshold between coordinates x_i, y_i and x_i+1, y_i+1.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, said marking further comprising:

for time T_i=1, 2, . . . , I−1, where I is a positive integer equal to the total number of timestamps corresponding to said vehicle and having a value greater than 1:

determining whether an orientation of said vehicle exceeds a skid threshold, said determining comprising comparing at least one GNSS location x_i, y_i with an orientation Dx_i, Dy_i of said vehicle at timestamps T_i and T_i+1, said GNSS location residing between timestamps T_i and T_i+1, said x_i, y_i, Dx_i, Dy_i and T_i residing in an accident report; and

having determined said orientation exceeds said skid threshold, indicating on said Cartesian Coordinate Plan all GNSS locations residing between timestamps T_i and T_i+1 in a way so an end user will understand said vehicle was exceeding said skid threshold.

16. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein each vehicle in said at least one other vehicle having been involved in said accident is selected from the group consisting of a participant vehicle and a witness vehicle, said participant vehicle being involved in said accident, said witness vehicles not being involved in said accident but within such a proximity to said accident so as to being able to provide eyewitness information corresponding to a cause of said accident.

17. A computing system comprising a processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising a software application, said software application comprising instruction that when executed by said processor, implement a method for identifying a trajectory for each vehicle involved in an accident, said method comprising:

plotting at least one Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) location on a Cartesian Coordinate Plane, each GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location corresponding to a unique vehicle having been involved in said accident;

identifying a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location on said Cartesian Coordinate Plane if it was determined that said vehicle was speeding at said identified GNSS location;

marking a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location on said Cartesian Coordinate Plane if it was determined that said vehicle was skidding at said marked GNSS location;

repeating said plotting and said identifying and said marking for at least one other vehicle having been involved in said accident; and

sending said Cartesian Coordinate Plane to an output device.

18. The computing system of claim 17, said plotting further comprising:

for time T_i=1, 2, . . . , I, where I is a positive integer equal to the total number of timestamps corresponding to said vehicle and having a value greater than 1:

calculating values X₀, X₁, X₂, X₃, Y₀, Y₁, Y₂, and Y₃ utilizing values x_i, y_i, Dx_i, and Dy_i, said x_i and y_i together representing a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location, said Dx_i and Dy_i together representing a direction in which said vehicle was pointing at time T_i, said T_i, x_i, y_i, Dx_i, and Dy_i residing in an accident report;

for index j=T_i, T_i+1, . . . , T_i+1−1:

calculating lambda λ utilizing said functions x₀, x₁, x₂, x₃, y₀, y₁, y₂, y₃, and index z, said index z being calculated prior to said calculating said lambda λ; and

plotting location XX,YY on said Cartesian Coordinate Plane, said location XX,YY being calculated utilizing said functions x₀, x₁, x₂, x₃, y₀, y₁, y₂, y₃, and said lambda λ.

19. The computing system of claim 18, wherein said calculating said values X₀, X₁, X₂, X₃, Y₀, Y₁, Y₂, and Y₃ each performed according to:

$X_0=x_i;$ $X_1=x_i+\frac{{\mathrm{Dx}}_i}{3};$ $X_2=x_{i+1}+\frac{{\mathrm{Dx}}_{i+1}}{3};$ $X_3=x_{i+1};$ $Y_0=y_i;$ $Y_1=y_i+\frac{{\mathrm{Dy}}_i}{3};$ $Y_2=y_{i+1}+\frac{{\mathrm{Dy}}_{i+1}}{3};$ $\mathrm{and}$ $Y_3=y_{i+1}.$

20. The computing system of claim 18, wherein said calculating lambda λ is performed according to

$\lambda =\frac{j-T_z}{T_{z+1}-T_z},$

said index z being calculated prior to said calculating said lambda λ, said calculating said index z is performed so that z satisfies T_z≦j<T_z+1.

21. The computing system of claim 20, wherein said calculating said XX,YY is performed according to:

XX=X ₀*(1−λ)³+3+X ₁*λ*(1−λ)²+3*X ₂*λ²*(1−λ)+X ₃*λ³; and YY=Y ₀*(1−λ)³+3+Y ₁*λ*(1−λ)²+3*Y ₂*λ²*(1−λ)+Y ₃*λ³.

22. The computing system of claim 17, said identifying further comprising:

for time T_i=1, 2, . . . , I−1, where I is a positive integer equal to the total number of timestamps corresponding to said vehicle and having a value greater than 1:

calculating an average speed for said vehicle using a function

$\mathrm{Average}\mathrm{Speed}=\frac{\mathrm{Distance}\mathrm{Traveled}}{\mathrm{Time}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{Travel}},$

said distance traveled value being calculated utilizing coordinates x_i, y_i and x_i+1, y_i+1, said x_i and y_i together representing a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location for T_i, said x_i+1 and y_i+1 together representing a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location for T_i+1, said time of travel value being calculated utilizing times T_i and T_i+1, said x_i, y_i, and T_i residing in an accident report;

determining whether said average speed value exceeds a speed threshold; and

having determined said average speed value exceeds said speed threshold, indicating on said Cartesian Coordinate Plan all GNSS locations residing between said coordinates x_i, y_i and x_i+1, y_i+1 in a way so an end user will understand said vehicle was exceeding said speed threshold between coordinates x_i, y_i and x_i+1, y_i+1.

23. The computing system of claim 17, said marking further comprising:

for time T_i=1, 2, . . . , I−1, where I is a positive integer equal to the total number of timestamps corresponding to said vehicle and having a value greater than 1:

determining whether an orientation of said vehicle exceeds a skid threshold, said determining comprising comparing at least one GNSS location x_i, y_i with an orientation Dx_i, Dy_i of said vehicle at timestamps T_i and T_i+1, said GNSS location residing between timestamps T_i and T_i+1, said x_i, y_i, Dx_i, Dy_i and T_i residing in an accident report; and

having determined said orientation exceeds said skid threshold, indicating on said Cartesian Coordinate Plan all GNSS locations residing between timestamps T_i and T_i+1 in a way so an end user will understand said vehicle was exceeding said skid threshold.

24. The computing system of claim 17, wherein each vehicle in said at least one other vehicle having been involved in said accident is selected from the group consisting of a participant vehicle and a witness vehicle, said participant vehicle being involved in said accident, said witness vehicles not being involved in said accident but within such a proximity to said accident so as to being able to provide eyewitness information corresponding to a cause of said accident.

25. A process for supporting computer infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in a computing system, wherein said code in combination with the computing system is capable of implementing a method for identifying a trajectory for each vehicle involved in an accident, said method comprising:

plotting at least one Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) location on a Cartesian Coordinate Plane, each GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location corresponding to a unique vehicle having been involved in said accident;

identifying a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location on said Cartesian Coordinate Plane if it was determined that said vehicle was speeding at said identified GNSS location;

marking a GNSS location of said at least one GNSS location on said Cartesian Coordinate Plane if it was determined that said vehicle was skidding at said marked GNSS location;

repeating said plotting and said identifying and said marking for at least one other vehicle having been involved in said accident; and

sending said Cartesian Coordinate Plane to an output device.

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